Future comments from Generation Z

I was mulling over some forums, article comments, and answer boards and something struck me about the future generations of North America. The influence corporate America has over youth, or people in their developing stages, seems to have taken dominance over what was taught to most people in their younger years.

If there are any GenXers who were raised by their grandparents they know exactly what I am talking about. Very young you are schooled on verbal contracts, hear stories of the nickel that bought them a wedge of cheese, a coke bottle and a slice of bread, etc, etc, etc. Those damn stories put us to sleep when we were kids but they certainly served a purpose.

When you comb over the internet and find questions like, Are the ______ allowed to _______ ? You will find that the newer generations will be quick to say, "Of course, it's the law!" (Even when it's not.) It seems like security of person has been eroded so individuals put security of state first.

The reoccurring theme is that individual rights and self worth is non-existent.

I know rights are a hot issue right now, the erosion of them has even possibly increased because of ignorance of actual law which makes anyone who does value personal rights look like a nut bar, but, regardless, the issue does need to be addressed in future generations.

Many of us will remember when you could go to the store (or our parents could) and write a check for groceries. (Essentially paid on credit) Today, paying with cash nearly confounds people. (Which in the past was preferred.) Credit must now be fully secured and cash is treated like food stamps.

So… Future comments from Generation z?

"Of course you have to get out of your car at checkpoints, it's illegal if you don't comply!"

"Of course you have to pay with chip verified credit/debit cards, cash is for criminals!"

"Of course you need to pull your pants down, you could be hiding something!"

Oh well, you get the point…

There was a time when talking to authority was only necessary if you (a) asked yourself to speak to them, or (b) there was sufficient evidence for them to question you.

This is not even about doing anything wrong, it's about living your life without being treated like you did something wrong. Checkpoints, screening, papers, verification, "security", proof of purchase, proof of insurance, all of this… is snowballing.

Even in the business world, any smaller company dealing with a larger company eats a ton of ____ because they don't have accounts and staff to handle things the way large corporations do.

The next generations will grow up with it, learn that it's normal, and when they are old enough to make laws they decide to increase it or completely overhaul the system. Although, they won't have the memories of the days of old taught to them by their forefathers to compare to.

The possible divide between "old school" school of thought, vs. new corporate thought, could be enormous. Hell, the divide between country to city is enough to shell shock people when they move from one to the other, and that culture shock has existed for eons.

With a generational change (educated by the digital corporate age) in the mix how much larger will it get?

Let me just add that "I walked to school 5 miles uphill BOTH ways" to the list of stories I grew up on.

You are correct in your observations and having a 15 year old I see it happening to my child even though I try to correct it when I hear it. I teach her to question everything. BUT, public schooling, peers, television, and other media make it near to impossible to keep all of it from sinking in. I have long believed that this is being done on purpose and that the next generation will usher in a complete loss of rights at some point. They have been taught to let the government take care of them. And as with any animal.... it is not wise to bite the hand that feeds you.

It's scary to see it happen so easily and within (seemingly) one generation. The corruption is coming from every possible angle and kids don't even know it. Most parents don't either for that matter.

reply to post by boncho


Related threads:

Shoppers profiled - Recipets checked by police

Black box in cars for revenue, insurance oversight.

Police aim guns at people at checkpoint.

…And probably hundreds of more if I spent more than five minutes looking for them. Remember, to a ten year old a lot of this stuff will just seem normal after growing up with it, hearing stories about it (the moral of the story being fear as opposed to contempt.)

Where does this rose colored vision of our past come from? Did we just for get that entire Cold War from 1950 to the 1980s when black lists, spying on citizens, troops in the streets for riots, saying or believing certain things would get you arrested, burning a flag would get a you shot, the word God suddenly got added to everything, and questioning anything American made you a dirty commie. Or how about that WW2 generation that was happy to lock up Amricans just because the had Japanese blood. Or the WW1 generation with sedition laws that could you arrested for talking bad abou the US and of couse only white men had any rights. And it just gets worse as we go back in time. I like to think we have learned from out past because at least now the press will reporty on such things and people are allowed to complian without ending up on Hoovers black list.

It leads me to this question: What is the generation after Generation Z? It just sounds so final but we're getting there. Are we the last generation of this world as it is?

reply to post by boncho


"You are either with us, or against us."
A generation raised on perpetual wars for profit backed by a little gem of legislation known as the Patriot Act. I wonder the same for my children...did I yell loud enough against the oppression? I raised my kids as a stay at home dad for the first five years of the oldest's life. I always instilled in him to question everything and everyone. Even me. That is what is lacking I believe. That and the distractions of mass media circuses politics, gay vs. Westboro, Miley Cyrus...it is to keep the eyes off of the proverbial man behind the curtain. Gen Xers were and still are labelled as apathetic, everyone dogs on Gen Y as being "the every kid gets a trophy" entitled type...but we are all unique as individuals. The closest thing we had to any kind of antidisestablishment movement (the Occupy movements) were taken down by the media. I gave up hope for this country then...call me apathetic. Spot on as always, B Man.

MrSpad
Where does this rose colored vision of our past come from? Did we just for get that entire Cold War from 1950 to the 1980s when black lists, spying on citizens, troops in the streets for riots, saying or believing certain things would get you arrested, burning a flag would get a you shot, the word God suddenly got added to everything, and questioning anything American made you a dirty commie. Or how about that WW2 generation that was happy to lock up Amricans just because the had Japanese blood. Or the WW1 generation with sedition laws that could you arrested for talking bad abou the US and of couse only white men had any rights. And it just gets worse as we go back in time. I like to think we have learned from out past because at least now the press will reporty on such things and people are allowed to complian without ending up on Hoovers black list.

edit on 28-10-2013 by MrSpad because: (no reason given)

The difference being that this happened to a few people, and a good number of people wouldn't stand for it. Today, this becomes quid pro quo.

You do not see that?

-

I do concede that if the technology and "law" was there during the cold war era, it may have already progressed far beyond where we are today. Yet, the future "era error of terror" has far bleaker prospects.

boncho

MrSpad
Where does this rose colored vision of our past come from? Did we just for get that entire Cold War from 1950 to the 1980s when black lists, spying on citizens, troops in the streets for riots, saying or believing certain things would get you arrested, burning a flag would get a you shot, the word God suddenly got added to everything, and questioning anything American made you a dirty commie. Or how about that WW2 generation that was happy to lock up Amricans just because the had Japanese blood. Or the WW1 generation with sedition laws that could you arrested for talking bad abou the US and of couse only white men had any rights. And it just gets worse as we go back in time. I like to think we have learned from out past because at least now the press will reporty on such things and people are allowed to complian without ending up on Hoovers black list.

edit on 28-10-2013 by MrSpad because: (no reason given)

The difference being that this happened to a few people, and a good number of people wouldn't stand for it. Today, this becomes quid pro quo.

You do not see that?

-

I do concede that if the technology and "law" was there during the cold war era, it may have already progressed far beyond where we are today. Yet, the future "era error of terror" has far bleaker prospects.

edit on 28-10-2013 by boncho because: (no reason given)

A good number of people did not support it? Everybody supported it. It was anti American to not support it. Could you image people saying in public the things they do about or goverment through most of our history? Never would have happened. People today expect to have rights, that was not the case for most of our history. You can be a communist and end up being arrested for it. We started this spying on our own citizens during the revolutionary war and it has taken until now for people to get upset about it. The last time during the cold war when this was a scandal it was not because the people were upset or the media broke the story it was becuase the different alphabet agencies were in a turf fight over who should be tapping our phones. People should really study our history they would be suprised how well we have it now. The freedom of the web plays a large part in that where current generations do not believe they can be restricted from doing anything or saying anything. That changed the game and for once the people are on top.

I shall represent my generation(youth) and say we are the superior to our ancesters. We know mass amounts more than you did about the world when you were a youth and we grew up watching all your failures as a collective group.

Sorry, any one in their late 30s? You've ruined our planet for being pathetic and blind and greedy, you're no better than the group that collapsed the towers because you didnt do anything to stop innocent people get murdered for banking.

Revolution is in our hands, not yours.

reply to post by MrSpad

A good number of people did not support it? Everybody supported it.

And my words:

...happened to a few people, and a good number of people wouldn't stand for it.

Sorry, the resources were limited back then. The NSA has spied on a far greater number in a shorter period. During the Cold War it was very targeted. And people who were targeted did fight it.

Also, the Patriot Act as it would have been established circa 1960. NDAA? Not to mention the rise of Alphabet Agency power and the creation of one which is a domestic army.

Quite simply, abuse of power was extremely limited back then, and it has progressed to the point that a very serious matter which could touch nearly every person could happen.

Ironically in hindsight higher education points out exactly what happened then, what should have or shouldn't have happened, and since, the power is now more broad and overreaching than ever before. Quite simply, the technology was not even available during the cold war to do what it can today.

A 12 year old with an iPhone has better espionage equipment than an agent of state circa 1970.

ScottProphhit
I shall represent my generation(youth) and say we are the superior to our ancesters. We know mass amounts more than you did about the world when you were a youth and we grew up watching all your failures as a collective group.

Sorry, any one in their late 30s? You've ruined our planet for being pathetic and blind and greedy, you're no better than the group that collapsed the towers because you didnt do anything to stop innocent people get murdered for banking.

Revolution is in our hands, not yours.

Except that Boomers were given the reigns, and have been in control since. There is currently a mass exodus in the business world by Boomers. Technically GenXers are just on the tip of asserting any control.

Yet, I think this discussion is rather on how you let yourself be controlled rather than who is controlling, as that is an elitist club that not many are privy to.

Revolution? By the kids of the consumption era?

ScottProphhit
I shall represent my generation(youth) and say we are the superior to our ancesters. We know mass amounts more than you did about the world when you were a youth and we grew up watching all your failures as a collective group.

Sorry, any one in their late 30s? You've ruined our planet for being pathetic and blind and greedy, you're no better than the group that collapsed the towers because you didnt do anything to stop innocent people get murdered for banking.

Revolution is in our hands, not yours.

Revolution, eh?
I'm in my late 30's and I can say I once thought as you did...the revolution is over. Guess what? We lost. All of us. It doesn't matter if you are fifteen or fifty. Civil disobedience is nearly impossible. Some of us tried. Blame the criminals directly, focus that youthful exuberance on trying to make a reasonable existence for yourself. Be well.

reply to post by boncho


Not from Americans at all haha that would be a laugh your nation will probably be the last to reform. Teens like me in Europe are wise to it, the 3rd world will be the hub of our global peace because they've been torn so much it's a matter of time.

The end of oppression will be when kids taught by people like me have a vote for peace. The generation everyone looks so low of, the one succumbed to all sorts of mental opression, are breaking free at mad pace. We're what the world is waiting for, the perfect community.

reply to post by MrSpad


If anything you can argue that the 60's was a failed coup against the people. And that the current roadmap is a second attempt at the same thing.



The difference being that many of the issues in the 60s were a national debate… And today dissent is quashed with media blackouts and ridicule. Or subverted, by getting idiots like Glen Beck to rally.

Glen Beck! Seriously?

MLK would be proud…

Public opinion was low when all the rights movements of the 60s first emerged, but nearly every one garnered public support.

Iraq vs. Vietnam? There is documented evidence that lies were told to get into Iraq, yet once the troops were pulled out, public discourse has largely evaporated. I am not the only person to hold this opinion.

But Iraq has not led to a wholesale restructuring of the U.S. military, as the Vietnam War did. And as controversial as it was at the time, Iraq did not trigger the sort of political and cultural convulsions that Vietnam did.

Vietnam remained a difficult subject for years, if not decades, after the fighting stopped, while Iraq has already just about disappeared from political discourse.

www.npr.org...

ScottProphhit
reply to post by boncho

 

Not from Americans at all haha that would be a laugh your nation will probably be the last to reform. Teens like me in Europe are wise to it, the 3rd world will be the hub of our global peace because they've been torn so much it's a matter of time.

The end of oppression will be when kids taught by people like me have a vote for peace. The generation everyone looks so low of, the one succumbed to all sorts of mental opression, are breaking free at mad pace. We're what the world is waiting for, the perfect community.

I didn't even mention Americans in my post. I said the "consumption era (generation)". Which, Europe is a part of:

Between 1990 and 2010 in the EU-27, consumption expenditure increased by 33%. The West Balkan countries and Turkey saw a steeper rise - by 120% and 63% respectively for the same period. Households spend between two and six times more than the public sector. The negative environmental effects of goods consumed in Europe are global - resource extraction, production, processing and transportation impact other regions.

Our eating and drinking habits result in significant environmental pressures: we cause these directly, by travelling to the shops, storing, cooking and generating waste; and indirectly - and even more importantly - by food production, processing and transportation.

We buy increasing numbers of electric and electronic goods (such as TVs, PCs, laptops, mobile phones and kitchen appliances), and we also replace these more frequently than previously. Household electricity consumption is on the rise. Our houses are getting more energy-efficient, but as we also build larger homes for fewer people, energy consumption for heating is only slightly decreasing. Every European citizen threw away roughly 445 kg of household waste in 2008.

www.eea.europa.eu...

America is an important note on the subject though, they have lived it up in consumerism for many years and others want a piece of the pie. The "third world" which you think will be the hub of global peace… well, when did China stop being 3rd world, and now is jumping head first into consumerism? And others… so called, "developing nations", (which ironically just means they took IMF loans to get that classification…) do you think they want to become first world nations so they can spread peace and love?

China? Im not on about a fake communist nation, the middle east and Africa, the area my ancestors destroyed so we can live in a consumer society? We'll all be bored of all consumer products before they can even peak, and seeking a united nation built on real wealth:knowledge, peace and happiness.

Hello, I'm Scott Knight, I shall die too early so you can live free. Enjoy these days while you can, the calm before the storm I mean.

ScottProphhit
China? Im not on about a fake communist nation, the middle east and Africa, the area my ancestors destroyed so we can live in a consumer society? We'll all be bored of all consumer products before they can even peak, and seeking a united nation built on real wealth:knowledge, peace and happiness.

Hello, I'm Scott Knight, I shall die too early so you can live free. Enjoy these days while you can, the calm before the storm I mean.

So the two most corrupt places who sold out their people and land for fast cash and political or royal rule… You believe them to be the ones who will spread peace and happiness?

Dear lord man.

There is a reason Islam tells everyone to live a meagre life while the people who run Islamic nations have private jets with golden thrones and toilets.

The Middle East does not have a history of peace, nor does Africa, nor does anywhere!

What are you on about? These crimes were not done by civilians, who the power shall lie with.

reply to post by boncho


Flag & Star and a big
from a GenXer raised by his grandma


reply to post by ScottProphhit


what are you waiting for
job's not gonna get easier by delaying and it looks like you've got your work cut out for you
[ancient chinese saying comes to mind]

www.zengardner.com...

ScottProphhit
I shall represent my generation(youth) and say we are the superior to our ancesters. We know mass amounts more than you did about the world when you were a youth and we grew up watching all your failures as a collective group.

Sorry, any one in their late 30s? You've ruined our planet for being pathetic and blind and greedy, you're no better than the group that collapsed the towers because you didnt do anything to stop innocent people get murdered for banking.

Revolution is in our hands, not yours.

I'm 36 I have a son who is 15 difference between me and him I can live without tv internet iphone text messages he can't neither can most of his generation. It was also my age generation who signed up days after 9/11.